Vargatef® plus docetaxel could be an option after failure of immunotherapy in lung cancer

14.12.2018 09:07:00 CET | Business Wire

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Boehringer Ingelheim announced today the first interim results of
VARGADO, an ongoing non-interventional study in routine clinical
practice in Germany evaluating the efficacy and safety of Vargatef®
(nintedanib) and docetaxel in patients with stage III/IV locally
advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of
adenocarcinoma histology. The study consists of three cohorts, two of
which allow for prior treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)
either in combination with chemotherapy in the first-line or as
monotherapy in the second-line of treatment. The interim results from
Cohort B (first-line chemotherapy, second-line immune checkpoint
inhibitors, third-line Vargatef® plus docetaxel) were
presented today at ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2018 in Geneva.1
Despite a limited sample size, the VARGADO study adds to the body of
evidence for nintedanib in lung adenocarcinoma following pre-treatment
with chemotherapy and ICIs.1,3

The addition of nintedanib to docetaxel has a proven survival benefit as
a second-line treatment following chemotherapy in a broad population of
lung adenocarcinoma patients.4 However, data are scarce
regarding the efficacy and safety of nintedanib in adenocarcinoma
patients who have been pre-treated with chemotherapy as well as ICIs.

The results support a recent update to the ESMO guidelines around the
treatment of NSCLC, which now recommend nintedanib in combination with
chemotherapy as a second-line treatment following prior chemotherapy +/-
ICIs.2 A recent report by Jesus Corral et al (WCLC, 2017)
which evaluated nintedanib in combination with docetaxel in a similar
setting showed similar efficacy and safety information.3

Professor Christian Grohé, Department of Respiratory Diseases, ELK
Berlin, said: “As immunotherapy becomes the first-line treatment of
choice in advanced lung adenocarcinoma, it’s important to have effective
and safe treatment options following immunotherapy. The results from
VARGADO provide important evidence supporting the use of nintedanib
following initial treatment with immunotherapy and are in line with the
recent update to the ESMO guidelines.”

Dr Victoria Zazulina, Global Head of Solid Tumour Oncology, Medicine at
Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “With a devastating disease like lung
cancer, every option matters. Today’s results provide evidence that
nintedanib, when added to docetaxel, is a good therapeutic option for
patients that progress following treatment with immunotherapy.”